Congress leader P Chidambaram on July 31 urged people to listen to or read the speech of party MP from Manipur Alfred Arthur and said it was a “severe criticism” of the Central government, especially the Prime Minister, Home Minister and Finance Minister.
“I urge people to listen to or read the speech of Shri Alfred Arthur, MP-elect from Manipur. His scathing attack on the Central Government, particularly the Prime Minister, Home Minister and Finance Minister is the cry of the hearts of thousands of citizens of Manipur,” Chidambaram said in a post on Twitter.
I urge people to listen to or read the speech of Shri Alfred Arthur, MP elected from Manipur.
His scathing criticism of the Central Government, especially the Prime Minister, Home Minister and Finance Minister is the cry of the heart of thousands of citizens of Manipur.
If the central government continues to work in this manner…
— P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) July 31, 2024
The Rajya Sabha member said if the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government at the Centre continues to “pretend” that there is “no” conflict in Manipur, the people of the Northeast will punish it.
What did Alfred Arthur say?
In an impassioned speech in the Lok Sabha on July 30, Congress party MP from Outer Manipur Alfred Arthur urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit the violence-hit state.
“Can’t you hear the screams of women and children who cannot return to their homes?” he asked during a debate in the Lower House on Budget 2024.
Ethnic clashes that began in May 2023 have led to deep divisions in Manipur, displacing thousands and disrupting daily life. More than 50,000 people are living in relief camps.
Arthur asked why Union ministers have not visited Manipur since May 3, 2023, while they visited the northeastern state almost every week before that. He also asked the Prime Minister why Chief Minister N Biren Singh has not been replaced yet. He said the Prime Minister and Home Minister Amit Shah should mend their ways and visit Manipur.
He said, “We are all Indian citizens. Why don’t you want to come to Manipur? We have listened to your ‘Mann Ki Baat’ for 10 years. Can’t you hear the cries of women and children who cannot go back home?”
The Congress MP spoke about how people from Imphal valley cannot go to other areas of Manipur. He thanked Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi for visiting Manipur thrice after ethnic clashes broke out in the northeastern state.
‘Anti-people budget’
Citing ethnic conflict and the worst floods in the state in 35 years, he accused the finance minister of presenting an “anti-people” budget.
“And the Finance Minister smilingly presents an anti-people budget. Madam, you don’t need rocket science to understand what is pro-people and what is against the interest of the nation,” he said.
Arthur said the prime minister and everyone else in the ruling BJP keep saying “Modiji hai toh sab mumkin hai” and “jahan Modiji hai, nyay delaayenge”, and asked where is the justice for Manipur.
The Congress won both the Lok Sabha seats in violence-hit Manipur – Inner and Outer Manipur – in the General Elections 2024. Angomcha Bimol Akoijam won the Inner Manipur constituency, while Alfred Kan-Ngam Arthur won the Outer Manipur constituency.
